


The Ups and Downs of Dragon Care

by kirakiracats



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, dragons exist, levi pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 02:36:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12049539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirakiracats/pseuds/kirakiracats
Summary: Eren has a new arrival at his rescue centre, his biggest resident so far. Luckily, he's just heard that a new reptile vet has moved into town, and is determined to bring them in, possibly to work with him on a more permanent basis. With Levi, he gets more than he's expected.Levi drives out to the world-famous rescue centre in a strictly professional mindset. As soon as he lays eyes on Eren Jaeger, that control starts slipping. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.The newcomer seems to know what's going on straight away, and is always up for a bit of fun.





	1. Barn

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This started as a short tumblr drabble last year, which I then added to again about a month ago. It won't have regular updates or anything, sorry. I thought I'd slap on a title and put it on here in case it got any longer/I have any ideas for more chapters/so more people can see it lol
> 
> This fic uses a tiny bit of Hindi, I apologise for any errors with that, and will change anything if anyone here knows better. For those of you on a computer you can hover over the text for translations, and if you're on mobile I'll put anything in the end notes although it's only really small things~

 

When he’d been told it was necessary that he travel a little in order to finish his rounds, Levi had been expecting to have to clamber into a tractor. Considering the discomfort and slow speed of that option, the quad bike was much better. In some ways, anyway. Wrapping his arms around his client would not have been required if they had used a different method of transport, but it had already been a long time since the start of the appointment, and the horses were already out with other staff members. The quad bike bumped through a dip in the dirt road, and Levi concentrated on keeping a firm hold on the man in front of him, hearing his equipment rocking on the metal rack behind him. The driver revved the vehicle up a hill, and Levi could feel the muscles in his abdomen tense. 

 

Eren Jaeger was fit and toned under his t-shirt. Physical contact had simply confirmed what Levi had been thinking during their first meeting.

 

Now that the forest trail flattened out, Levi felt safe enough to loosen his grip, resting his hands casually on Eren’s waist in case of a sudden lurch. But Eren drove safely, easing around the last curve to bring them into a large clearing, free from tyre tracks. And Levi was finally able to see the building that he had been glimpsing through the trees a minute ago.

 

The barn might have been old, sitting out on this hill for years, but recently it had been given a fresh coat of paint; bold, classic red for the walls with white accents and a grey roof. The tall, wooden structure stood proudly overlooking the grass and pines, the greenery swaying in a gentle breeze. Levi took in the peaceful setting, finding it unexpectedly quaint. A quiet cough broke Levi out of his thoughts, making him realise that the all-terrain vehicle’s engine had already been cut for a while, and Eren was patiently waiting for him to dismount first. Embarrassed, but hiding it well, Levi stood and swung one leg over the seat to hop off, not saying a word even as he used Eren’s shoulder to steady himself.

 

“Sorry again about making you ride tandem with me, Dr. Ackerman. As you could tell, the land out here is full of bumps, even on the trail, and I wouldn’t want to make you hike out in this heat.” Eren ran his fingers through his hair as he talked, the rich brown locks falling back over his forehead in a way that made him look both boyish and charming. 

 

“No trouble. I understand,” Levi replied, repeating himself from earlier. Not quite ready to meet the man’s eyes, Levi turned to undo the straps holding down his bag of supplies. While he fiddled with them, he tried to shift his thoughts back in a professional direction. Out in the countryside with Eren, alone, made that a more difficult task than it should be.

 

“Ah, well, still… I’ll be sure to get you refreshments back at the main building.” Eren was blushing and nervous. Levi thought it was adorable. Even though they’d been doing business together calmly for the last hour or so, Eren hadn’t quite relaxed. Levi wondered if he looked intimidating in some way -- his outfit was the usual shirt and trousers, but there was nothing much he could do about his face -- or if this was just the way Eren acted around people older than him, or people he hired. Levi had been following him around his facility silently, and he couldn’t think of anything he’d said that would cause this particular reaction. In the end, Levi put it down to Eren’s youth, his recent ownership of the rescue centre, and him wanting to make a good first impression.

 

Eren had absolutely no need to worry about that last part.

 

As Eren started over to the barn, he talked. “So this is your last patient for the day, I really have taken up so much of your time but I’m so grateful for you coming out here. Having you just move into town is incredible timing for us, your reputation is amazing.” He’d been flattering Levi for a while now, and Levi was trying to take it in stride.

 

“Shiganshina has been very welcoming,” Levi said, with only a hint of awkwardness. He had to make an effort not to stare, even when Eren wouldn’t see him while walking ahead. “You said this one is a new arrival, too?” Eren glanced back over his shoulder, flashing Levi a stunning smile.

 

“Oh, yeah! I’ve got her history notes right here.” He patted the back pocket of his jeans. Levi’s gaze flicked to his butt, and he internally scolded himself for that moment of weakness. “She’s come a little further than you though,” Eren continued with a laugh. “The landscape of her home is so different to here, but she’s doing just great.”

 

Levi nodded, but Eren had already turned around and didn’t see it. The brunet grabbed the handle of the barn door. The sliding doors were huge, three metres high Levi guessed, and so Eren had to really use his strength. The thought of offering to help crossed Levi’s mind, and was then swiftly pushed out of his head when he watched Eren’s back muscles work, his arms flexing as he heaved. There was a suspiciously loud thud that came from inside the barn, and then the door budged open, the task much easier once Eren had momentum.

 

“Aekta!” he called, pushing the other door across with his shoulder. “Uh... _krpaya yahaan aaiye_ , Aekta!” There was another thud, and the sound of something toppling over, and then a dragon was bounding towards them. 

 

The beast filled the barn doorway once she reached it, even with her wings tucked to close to her sides. The inside of the barn was well-lit, but direct sunlight really made her scales shine. She’d blend in well with desert sand, being covered shades of yellow and orange. The spikes along her spine and around her face were small and almost dainty. In comparison, her legs were thick and muscular, and her long tail was much the same. She was a beautiful young dragon, and very happy to see Eren, too. 

 

“ _Namaste_ , Aekta. Good girl. This is Levi, he’s come to see how you’re doing.” Eren spoke through his laughter, constantly being nudged in the chest by Aekta’s curious nose. She snorted warm air at the two humans, her emerald eyes alight. With a graceful movement of her neck, she turned her focus to Levi. 

 

“ _Namaste_ , Aekta,” Levi said, following Eren’s example. He swept his gaze across her quickly, and then looked at Eren. “She’s bonded to you really well.” So well that it didn’t need saying, Levi thought, surprised by the dragon’s energy and enthusiasm. Eren was instantly happier as well. 

 

“Ah, well, we’re doing our best, aren’t we, _priy_. I don’t know Hindi so I can’t talk to her like she’s used to but I’ve learnt a little, and she’s picking up English words quickly which makes things easier. Here, take the notes, sorry there wasn’t time to read them earlier with all the others. Aekta’s out here for space reasons, obviously. All our minis, the miniature drakes and miniature wyverns and others you checked earlier came here for exercise when time and weather permitted, but the barn’s been refurbished just for her arrival.” Eren’s excitement and pride made him ramble, but Levi didn’t mind at all. He took the offered document with a small smile, scanning them for important details. Since Aekta was an adolescent, the history was short, and Levi was a fast reader. He saw nothing alarming, and refolded the papers. 

 

“You’ve kept her quarantined since she got here, right?” Levi asked, getting into work mode now that he had an animal in front of him. He put down his bag and opened it. His careful organisation meant he could grab tools blindfolded, so he looked back up at Eren to show he was listening.

 

“Yes, of course. We signed all the forms and got her out here without any hitches. She just got too big for her previous place to handle, they’re not specialised. I’m normally the one to come out here to feed her and make sure she’s settling in.” Eren paused, and then carried on in a secretive tone. “I, uh, slept out here with her for the first night. I was worried she might cry, but she’s ever so good.” Levi filed that away for later thought, but continued with the required questions.

 

“And how are you feeding her? Amount, timings, all that?” Eren gave detailed answers, just like Levi had expected. The vet began to walk around the dragon while Eren stayed standing by her head, scratching her under the chin.

 

His examination went smoothly, like all the previous ones. Aekta was in very good condition considering she had gone through a major change. Levi thought she might get restless, but as long as Eren was cooing at her she was as good as gold.

 

“Okay, I’m almost done. My only concern is temperature regulation, but she’ll acclimatise soon and begin using her flame bladder to stay warm when she needs it. She may sleep more and eat less during this period, as if it were an early winter, but weather like today will get her more active.” Levi held his clipboard close while he wrote down a few more things, then tucked it under his arm. “Speaking of activity, are you prepared for when she starts flying?”

 

“Yes. We will get the standard wards in place as well as some basic deterrents, so we’ll keep an eye on her once she’s healthy and grown to see what more we can do.” Levi nodded approvingly, and offered a little more advice, pleased with his days work. And with his company.

 

“She’ll love the territory once she’s seen it all. You’ve got a great place out here.” Eren was gaping at him like a fish, but Levi was focussed on his notes again. “May I see the rest of the barn?”

 

“Of course!” Aekta made and excited sound at Eren’s volume, which startled both him and Levi. The brunet laughed and gestured for Levi to go ahead and look around.

 

The floor were swept completely clean around the entrance, and then there were only bits of hay here and there in the main area. The space was sectioned off well, enough for a growing dragon and more if need be, plus lofts that could be used as storage. Aekta could already stand on her hind legs and reach the hay bales up there if she wanted to, but the ceiling was too high to touch, and other rooms had doors and locks for more important items. Eren began to apologise, saying the interior had not yet been tidied perfectly, but Levi waved him off.

 

“It’s fine. Good job on the heat lamps. She can use the trees outside for her claws. If she starts spitting fire you might have a problem, so train her well.” Eren’s eyes went wide, and then he nodded and started explaining future improvement plans. He’d really thought of everything. Aekta was huffing and standing over him, but he hardly noticed. “Is this her area?” Levi asked. They’d reached one of the back corners, where there was a nest of sorts, messy but perfect for a dragon.

 

“Yeah, do you think it’s ok?” Levi was about to answer, but then Eren knocked into him and they both fell into the pile of bedding. Aekta had pushed the young man with her hand, and now she padded around them to curl up at their sides, her tail coming up to enclose them completely. Levi processed all this after the fact, since Eren was touching him again, on top of him to be precise, and that made it a little hard to think.

 

“The nest is fine,” he said after a long moment. Eren wasn’t moving, apparently still stunned. “I think she’s coming into a willful and stubborn phase.” Eren sat up and snorted, looking ruffled and very attractive.

 

“Is that your professional opinion, Dr. Levi?” A deep rumble started up in Aekta’s chest, and her scales were warming up from the heat she was generating inside herself. The wing closest to them opened and rested across them, clearly stating that she wasn’t going to let them leave.

 

“I think she wants to sleep with you again,” Levi said instead of answering.

 

“I think she wants us to sleep together,” Eren murmured cheekily, fire in his green eyes. He and the dragon suddenly seemed very alike.

 

“Oh,” Levi said eloquently, and then his cheeks flushed bright red.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> namaste = hello  
> priy = term of endearment like dear/darling/favourite one (hopefully can be used in this context)  
> krpaya yahaan aaiye = please come here


	2. Hatchling

 

“Dr. Levi! You came! Wait, um, I mean, you’re here!”

 

Levi startled slightly as the door swung open, revealing a frazzled Eren wearing an expression of happy surprise. The fumbling and embarrassed smile that he was greeted with was endearing in a way that Levi ought to have been used to by now, but Eren was almost too bright to handle on an already sunny morning, and even a day apart made seeing him again feel like a brand new experience.

 

For the record, it had been four and a half days since he saw him last, but who’s counting.

 

“You look like you’ve come from work. I thought you had a day off?” Eren questioned, combing his fingers through his fringe so that his messy hair sat a little more naturally. Levi watched the motion, replaying it in slow-motion in his head, wishing he was close enough to Eren to smooth one last piece with his own hand. It was obvious that Eren had dropped whatever he was doing and rushed over to the main building’s foyer as soon as Mina had called through to say Levi had arrived.

 

“Work pants are more durable,” Levi explained with a shrug that hopefully hid how flustered he felt. Truthfully, he hadn’t known what to wear until reminding himself that going anywhere where there were dragons often meant rips and tears, and that dressing up could easily backfire. His tough, grey trousers were designed to stand up to most things, but now he wonders if he should’ve just gone with jeans, or something lighter. At least his short-sleeved shirt was casual and weather-appropriate and something that Eren had never seen him wear before. “I’ve come from home, I promise. And just call me Levi.” It wasn’t the first time he’d had to ask Eren to drop the title when he spoke to him, but Levi didn’t like to seem pushy, and so limited himself to a gentle reminder at the start of every meeting.

 

Eren looked away, scratching at his cheek like he’d been caught doing something wrong. “Ah, yeah, I know. Habit.” He glanced up briefly. “And I’m glad. You deserve a break.” Levi quirked a brow.

 

“Did you think I wouldn’t want to come here without you making an appointment?” Blunt as always, Levi spoke without taking his eyes off Eren. In the next moment, he watched a variety of expressions flit over Eren’s face before the young man settled on sheepish again. He hesitated on what to say in reply, starting his sentence a few different ways before settling on,

 

“Would you like to come in?”

 

Levi gave him a small smile, and then gestured for Eren to lead the way.

 

The foyer of the rescue centre was located in the front left-hand corner of the building. It was professionally decorated, off-white highlighted with two shades of green, pale on the walls and darker for the door frames and minimal furniture. The receptionist’s desk was made of light wood, wide enough for two members of staff, and positioned across from the entrance doors to see all the comings and goings of the centre. Behind that was a door that Levi knew lead to the administration offices and staff break room, and over on the wall on the right was a set of double doors that opened onto the main corridor. They were propped open at this time of the day to allow people to make their way through the building and to the animal enclosures out back, and a young man was stood there to check visitors’ tickets.

 

Eren and Levi turned right through those open doors, but then took a left, to a ‘staff only’ door that would take them to another part of the centre. After entering the four digit code, Eren held the door open for Levi, who deliberately tried not to touch Eren as he passed by, although the thought was very tempting. The back area was the part of the building that Levi was most familiar with, as a vet. It was dedicated to holding rooms for the animals currently in quarantine or recovery, and so saw a lot of new arrivals and individuals that Levi was called in to check over. The centre was the biggest of its kind, but still small compared to zoos and well-funded animal reserves, and so Levi worked as their exclusive vet. It was efficient, since he oversaw every individual creature’s care, knew their quirks and medical history, and was experienced enough to never need to consult a more senior vet.

 

At this point in his career, he wasn’t sure a more senior vet existed who specialised in ancient reptiles. But, then again, he wasn’t looking for one.

 

The two continued through the building, past multiple secure doors and storage rooms. As a rescue centre, Levi admired the place, for everything it’s achieved and it’s emphasis on educating the public, and as a workplace, he appreciated it. The hallways were tidy and uncluttered, and the whole place was cleaned every evening. They had hand sanitiser dispensers stationed at frequent intervals, and internal windows so that people could quickly see into any given room as they were passing by. Levi glanced to his right and made note of the sleeping hixwyrm in room seven, and the striped lanadril clinging to the wall of room nine that was staring at them both with beady eyes.

 

Eren lead them both further down the hall, commenting every now and then on the state of Levi’s current patients; thankfully, it was all good news. They passed some of Eren’s coworkers, all of them busy carrying an assortment of things from one place to another. Everyone was smiling and passionate about their jobs, and the atmosphere even had Levi returning some of their greetings.

 

They rounded a corner to where the slightly larger holding rooms were located, and Eren punched in the numbers for room fourteen. To the side of the door was a list of eight individuals, not yet named, indicating age, weight, species, sex, and feeding status, among other details. In this case, all were three-month-old, underweight bulldragons. The name was misleading, since they were hornless drakes and not dragons, but they did possess brute strength and wide-set front legs. When they grew old enough, they’d have the distinctive armour plates over the back of the neck and shoulder blades, but for now they had the full range of movement in their necks. Which is why when the door opened, all the little ones raised their heads to see their visitors.

 

Armin, Eren’s close friend who had worked alongside him since the very first day, was already inside, seated cross-legged on a bench to their right. He waved hello and grinned as the pair stepped into the room, quickly closing the door behind them.

 

“I’m back, with Levi, obviously,” Eren said, immediately crouching down as the young group barreled towards him. Taking a few hits to the knee, he started rough-housing with the ones he could reach, pushing them from the side to test their balance and holding a palm up for them to headbutt repeatedly. Half of them came over to do the same thing to the sole of Levi’s boot, which he held it out to them wordlessly.

 

The baby bulldragons were just getting to the age where their foreheads and upper snouts were hardening properly in layers, which meant they were beginning to test each other’s strength and generally being rowdy. Luckily for the human staff, they hadn’t yet learned to have full coordination with their short legs, and so couldn’t pick up the momentum needed for a proper charge. It was amusing to watch them waddle around and bump into each other, although they’d be a handful in the future unless they were taught good manners while young. But in Levi’s opinion, the rescued hatchlings had a very pleasant temperament overall, and he enjoyed seeing their energy return after dealing with each one’s case of severe malnutrition.

 

“How’re things, Levi,” Armin asked politely, shaking his head at Eren’s antics.

 

“Same as always,” Levi replied, wanting to do the same thing but deciding not to when Eren looked up at him. “So, you think they’re ready?” he asked them both.

 

“They’re in very good moods today, all fed and eager for some exercise,” Armin informed him. Eren stood up, his hands coming to rest on his hips.

 

“They’re gonna be even more excited when we get out there!”

 

Levi huffed a laugh at the expression on his face. “You’ll fit right in.”

 

A slight blush appeared on Eren’s cheeks, and Armin was definitely hiding a smile behind his hand. When Eren didn’t stop himself from staring, Armin gave a fake cough and said, “The others are good to go, waiting just outside the back door.” Eren blinked twice, and then jumped to his feet.

 

“Um, yeah, right. So... let’s just corral these kids and head out, then.”

 

Grinning at Eren suddenly taking control again, Armin picked up the bundle of leashes that had been laid out beside him and shared them out; three for Eren, three for Levi, and two for himself. Sensing that Armin was going to be polite and give him less work, Levi had wordlessly grabbed another when Armin had held out only two to him. He didn’t doubt Armin’s strength, but he was here to help for a reason.

 

With the bulldragons already so close to the three of them, it was easy to slip most of the thick rope leashes around their necks and adjust them quickly. Not getting them tangled afterwards was trickier, but they’d be fine once they had a bit more space, and it was just a short walk anyway. In less than a minute, Eren had one hand on the door handle, the other firmly holding three taut leashes. Armin gripped one in each hand, his arms a little more relaxed. Levi also had two drakes successfully under control, but his third had evaded him by running under the bench. When he reached out to it for the umpteenth time, it then ran to the back corner, dodging the loop of rope that had been hovering in front of it’s nose.

 

“Need any help, Levi?” Armin asked, ready to step in. Levi gave a short sigh but shook his head.

 

“The last one is always the cheekiest. Don’t worry, I got it,” he replied. He wrapped the last leash over his shoulders like a loose scarf, and then lowered himself to one knee by the back corner.

 

The bulldragon, small and grey-green, was stood very still, watching him. When he reached a hand out, it turned its head away and dropped its stomach to the floor. But Levi wasn’t aiming for its head or neck anymore. Instead, he reached over its back to its far side and pulled it away from the wall. Then, before it had time to process the move, he gripped it around the chest and hefted it into his arms.

 

Levi immediately heard a choking noise. Turning his head, he just caught Armin elbowing Eren in the ribs.

 

“Oh, wow, yes, I mean, you certainly do got it,” Eren blurted, his eyes darting around -- Levi’s neck, Armin, the wall, Levi’s  _ biceps _ \-- before settling on his own hand. “They’re heavy, still. Want me to take the other’s while you--”

 

“Nah, let’s just get going.” Levi adjusted his hold on the bulldragon. At this young age, it would stay still in his arms, even if Levi wasn't its mother.

 

“O-of course,” Eren stammered, quickly moving to open the door and lead the group into the hall. From there it was a straight walk to the back door, although the seven babies on the floor wanted to go wherever they pleased, itching to explore.

 

Outside, three more staff members were waiting, along with six horses. A seventh was hitched to a four-wheeled, metal cart. They were today’s transport for the humans and drakes, respectively.

 

Levi didn’t yet know the name of everyone Eren worked with; on his visits it somehow ended up being just him and Eren going around as a pair most of the time. But the staff all knew him well enough, and not one of the three batted an eye to see him following their boss and Armin on a non-clinical visit.

 

The drakes were sniffing around intently now that they had grass and dirt beneath their feet. They were half-nudged, half-dragged over to the cart, the sturdy loading ramp down already. Levi’s passenger was first in, lifted over the side, and Levi noticed Eren’s attention fixed on him as he rolled his shoulders.

 

“Even underweight, they’re like a sack of potatoes,” he grumbled, without any real annoyance. Stunned as he was by the whole thing, Eren still managed to laugh. Then it was Levi’s turn to stare.

 

Once all eight bulldragons were loaded and locked in, the humans mounted their horses and began the journey to the barn. Armin was roped to the cart-horse, setting the pace and direction, while Eren and Levi stayed on either side to keep an eye on things and the others brought up the rear. It was a slow ride, filled with some work conversation and more comments on the nice weather. The bulldragons were unsure about the rocking and swaying at first, but by the time they were being pulled up the final hill they had grown more used to the gentle movement and sounds all around them. So far, so good, Levi thought, catching Eren’s eye. He received a wide smile in return.

 

The barn doors were closed as planned, despite it being late morning already. Eren and Levi dismounted first, passing their horses on while they made their way over to the building on foot. Before Eren even had a hand on the handle, they could hear the restless dragon inside.

 

“I hope she’s going to be alright,” Eren mumbles to himself, sliding the door wide open. The golden dragon was stood primly in the centre of the entrance, head held high, front feet together. While she looked down at Eren, her tail snaked side-to-side over the floor. Levi could tell Eren was tense. Aekta seemed to be contemplating what to do, like she’d sensed from inside that this wasn’t an ordinary visit.

 

Levi walked up to Aekta, who turned her head to give him her full attention. She blinked once, slowly, and then bent down a little and opened her mouth wide. Eren burst into laughter, but Levi was too surprised to make a sound.

 

“I think she wants you to check her over, like you normally do. He’s not here for that today, _priy_!” Eren said once he caught a breath. Despite her love of loud, happy sounds, particularly when they came from Eren, Aekta remained perfectly still, all her teeth on show. Snapping out of it, Levi hummed and looked the dragon in the eye. 

 

“ _Namaste_ , girl. Pearly white as usual.” He gave her a nod to show he was finished with his ‘exam’ and Aekta took the cue to close her mouth again and stand up at her full, glorious height. 

 

Then she lifted her right hand. As she held it up obediently, Eren tried to muffle his laughter. This time, free to move her head, Aekta twisted her neck to snort at him in a way that almost sounded exasperated.

 

“He’s a strange one, isn’t he,” Levi continued casually, pretending to check her claws as he spoke. Although he wasn’t here to be a vet today, he saw no reason not to encourage this behaviour and willingness to be touched and looked at. It was pretty unbelievable how quickly she’d come to associate and accept the things she had to do when Levi came to see her. Unbelievable, but endearing.

 

She and Eren made quite the pair.

 

“Such a smart girl,” he remarked once he was done.

 

“Good girl,” Eren cooed straight after, patting her neck as a reward. Preening, Aekta moved her body so that Eren was patting her flank instead, right on the spot where she liked it best. Soon, Levi thought, they’d only be able to easily reach her knee.

 

“We brought you some company today, _priy_. New friends. _Doston_!” Eren said excitedly. Aekta looked between him and Levi at the last word, and then out into the clearing to where the rest of the team was still waiting. With only a little hesitation, she stepped around the two familiar humans and out into the sun. Levi had to shield his eyes slightly when the light created glaring spots on her side. 

 

Jogging to stay ahead, Eren held out a hand to his staff members and came to a stop in front of his biggest beast. “Aekta, are you going to behave?” he said, his tone firmer than before, willing the dragon to listen carefully. She bent her head and glanced at him, but was mostly focussed on the small squirming _somethings_ in the cart a dozen metres away. “Aekta, lie down, please. _Let jaen_ , Aekta.” 

 

For a second or two she was frozen, and then she lowered her belly to the ground. The muscles in her legs stayed tense for another moment, but as soon as Eren praised her again she began to relax. Levi walked over to stand next to Eren, quiet but supportive, stroking a hand over Aekta’s shoulder as he passed.

 

Eren kept up a stream of compliments and comforting noises for Aekta, checking her body language over and over until he felt ready to turn to Armin and nod. At the signal, he and the other workers moved to let the bulldragons loose. They were all making a low, sharp barking sound which Aekta was very interested in. There was a bit of tumbling when the bulldragons rushed to get out, but the four humans were ready, crouching with arms outstretched to deter any from making a break for the forest. The eight hatchlings were left with only one direction to go.

 

In the centre of the field, Eren watched it all happen, a smile growing on his face. “Stay with her?” he asked Levi, eyes bright.

 

“Of course,” Levi replied, knowing that Eren was in that mood where he could barely stand still. The feeling poured out of him, the slight trepidation replaced with enthusiasm for his work. Levi loved watching it take over.

 

Turning to face the tiny, uncoordinated stampede, Eren made clicking noises with his tongue to encourage the bulldragons closer. None of them had strayed, so far, and all seemed to want to stick together, the shy ones unable to leave too much distance between themselves and their braver siblings. Eren sat down to welcome them into his space even more, and once they reached him on unsteady legs Eren only had a moment to praise them all before their curiosity for Aekta was really piqued.

 

For ten minutes, the bulldragons wandered around Aekta, never getting too close. The golden dragon watched them quietly, always trying to have all of them in her line of sight. She craned her neck this way and that as a few of them made a full circle, and let out a disgruntled growl when Eren stayed out of her reach, giving attention to all creatures but her. Levi stepped in to soothe her, and she unfurled one wing and moved it behind him in an attempt to keep him there. Armin was the only other person to come close, occasionally having to guide a bulldragon or two back towards the main group. No one wanted to overwhelm the dragon or drakes, so space was needed, but everyone was doing a quick, mental headcount every other minute.

 

Once they were about half an hour into the meeting, the bulldragons were becoming confident and boisterous in their surroundings. Since the big dragon wasn’t playing with them, they played with each other. Aekta’s tail thumped the ground when Eren was bumped into, and she stayed fidgety even as Eren laughed it off. One baby sniffed at her tail afterwards, and she pushed it away with one flick of the long appendage. It rolled into two of its siblings, literally launching into another scuffle.

 

Aekta watched this in fascination. The next time a bulldragon came close, she sniffed at it calmly and then looked at Levi.

 

“I know. They’re funny little things aren’t they. Troublesome, but cute,” Levi explained to her. The adolescent dragon gazed at him, intelligence glittering in her eyes, and then turned her gaze back to the small herd around her. She looked at them differently now, Levi thought. He caught Eren’s eye, and knew that something similar was going through his mind, too. Eren blushed and looked away.

 

It was a sweet moment when the bulldragons gathered around Aekta’s front feet and simply looked up at her for a while. If any communication was happening between them, the humans couldn’t tell, but it made a lovely picture either way. Then, mindful of Levi standing so close, Aekta spread her wings. Some of the bulldragons barked at the display, but all stood their ground happily. However, when Aekta flapped gusts of wind at them, they turned and ran from her, circling back once she had stopped.

 

Obviously amused, Aekta lay her head on the ground to be almost at eye-level with the baby drakes, and slowly opened her jaws. It was non-threatening, but a new sight and experience for the hatchlings, who waddled around with a little more caution. Then Aekta made a short coughing noise, and they all jumped in unison.

 

But it wasn’t a bark of warning or anger. Eyes wide with wonder, Eren, Levi, and the other staff members watched as tiny sparks started flying from the back of her throat, arcing to her upper teeth and dancing down her forked tongue. It was bright, and beautiful, and in seconds she had the bulldragons stomping their feet and snorting happily around her face. Well, most of them were at least. Two stubborn ones were more interested in headbutting the now-reachable muscles of her neck. She let them be.

 

The bulldragons were huffing and grunting for more after she stopped. One called for her attention and then huffed a little louder. It made a low rumble in it’s throat, not quite a growl, and then the next time it exhaled it snorted out a plume of dark grey smoke.

 

Armin had just enough time to ask, “Was that what I thought it was?” before three more of the bulldragons were joining in. Aekta crooned at their attempts to copy her, a sound that Levi was surprised by, but Eren jumped up before it could go any further.

 

“Woah, woah, ok time to break it up. We don’t need eight little smoke machines getting any ideas while they’re still being housed inside.” He wafted away the fumes and clapped his hands at the hatchlings, who all then switched to watch him, snapping their jaws like it was a game of who could be loudest. This, inevitably, turned into another scuffle.

 

As soon as she spotted the group getting too rough, Aekta stood and got in between the baby bulldragons, careful of where she placed her feet. Without giving any of the humans time to stop her, she began dragging the babies towards her chest, gentle but firm when they wriggled out of her grip. When one thought it could dash away, she grabbed it with her mouth instead and added it to her collection. She settled down on the grass again once all eight were safe between her front legs. In some places it was hard to tell where one bulldragon ended and another began. Aekta’s smooth, shimmering scales stood out in stark contrast to their muted tones, however.

 

“So cute! I think she’s got some maternal instincts,” Armin mused aloud.

 

“Well, we already knew she liked to cuddle,” Eren answered, shooting a meaningful look to Levi, who quirked an eyebrow in response. “And she’s more like a protective big sister to them, I think. We didn’t exactly make a plan for if she decided she loved the bulldragons. Not this quick anyway. I know we’ve got a bit more time, but what if she doesn’t want to let them go after this?”

 

Levi hummed, tilting his head slightly as he looked at the scene.

 

“Only one way to find out,” he said. Striding over to Aekta and her adopted brood, Levi came to a halt just shy of her front feet. The way she’d placed them together looked casual, but there was no doubt that she was purposely encircling the hatchlings from all sides. Levi made brief, nonchalant eye contact with her, and then squatted down and put a hand on one bulldragon’s head. There was no negative reaction to this, although Aekta was as watchful as always, and so Levi took it one step further and stroked the tiny drake from nose to tail, over and over. At this, Aekta closed her eyes and made a quiet, happy rumbling sound.

 

“There you go. She’s still fine with us. She knows we won’t do anything to hurt them.”

 

“Yeah,” Eren agreed softly. “She’s as good as gold.” Levi looked over his shoulder at the phrase, one which Eren had come to use often when talking about Aekta. The brunet’s expression was full of fondness. Almost loving, some might have said, but Levi had banned himself from thinking of the ‘L’ word a while ago, in case his control started to slip, even just in the safety of his own mind. He wasn’t sure he was hiding his own feelings that well considering all the time he was around Eren Jaeger.

 

Sinking deeper into his thoughts, Levi focussed back on the bulldragon he was petting. It’s siblings were following the movement of his hand with their dark eyes, as if it was slowly putting them in a trance. It was understandable that they would be sleepy given the flurry of activity they’d had so far today, and it warmed his heart to see them dropping off right in front of him. Seeing animals like this had a real calming effect on him.

 

He heard footsteps at the same time he felt a touch on his back. It caught him off guard, and before he could turn and see who it was, he felt a rush of hot breath over his skin, and then was being forced into Aekta’s pile by Aekta herself. Her chin and jaw pressed flush against him, and though Levi tried hard to hold his ground, the dragon was much bigger and stronger, and combined with her stubborn streak, it was not something he could fight for long. “Wait!” he heard Eren shout behind him, but he was already tripping all the way into Aekta’s broad chest, into a little space she had created just for him.

 

Falling on his ass in front of everyone was not part of Levi’s plan today. He kept his face totally blank, beating down all the emotions that were battling to break through one after the other.

 

“Well, this is familiar.”

 

“Oh, god, Levi are you alright?” Eren asked in a rush. He was leaning over to Levi, arm outstretched for him to grab so he could be pulled free. But once again, Aekta took matters into her own hands. Bending her neck even more so that she could grab the back of Eren’s top in her mouth, she lifted him up, and deposited him at Levi’s side.

 

Levi suddenly didn’t know what to say.

 

“Aekta! No!” Eren scolded after a quick readjustment of his limbs. The dragon ignored him and started crooning in the next breath, incredibly pleased with her work. The hatchlings accepted the new situation gracefully, some nodding off without a care in the world.

 

“So…” Armin broke the awkward atmosphere. “Do you want us to give you guys some alone time?” he asked, face innocent but each word laced with sly amusement. The other staff members fidgeted off to one side, unsure whether they should watch or speak or get involved in any way, shape, or form.

 

“Shut up, Armin. Are you gonna give us a hand out of this or what?” Eren huffed. His cheeks were getting redder and redder, and Levi wondered whether it was partly to do with the heat Aekta had started putting out; unnecessary considering the huddle was warm enough for him already.

 

“Sorry,  _ boss _ , but it doesn’t look like you’re the one in charge anymore. I leave you in Aekta’s capable hands.”

 

Aekta’s crooning increased for a moment, as if she understood Armin’s compliment perfectly. Levi felt it through his back, and also some small vibrations where Eren’s arm was pressed against his own. While Eren chewed his lip in frustration, Levi dared to lean in closer, bumping shoulders with him and half-hoping he wouldn’t notice.

 

(Eren did, immediately, but it was the opposite of unwanted. He stopped biting his bottom lip and instead stared at the pair belonging to the man next to him.)

 

Armin let out a wolf-whistle.

 

“Go away, Armin!”

 

“Make up your mind, Eren!” was the teasing response.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> namaste = hello  
> priy = term of endearment like dear/darling/favourite one (hopefully can be used in this context)  
> doston = friends  
> let jaen = lie down
> 
> Oh and I imagined the bulldragon hatchlings to look similar to baby hippos/rhinos if you have trouble picturing them~


End file.
